William hicks



(No Model.)

v W. HICKS. HEMI BRAKE.

No. 409,102. Patented Aug. 13, 1889.

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-UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

IVILLIAIWI HICKS, OF DANVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EDVARD B. RUSSEL, OF SAME PLACE.

HEM P-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 409,102, dated August 13, 1889.

Application filed August Z7, 1888. Serial No. 283,863. (No model.)

.To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM HICKS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Danville, in the State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hemp-Brakes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the construction of hemp-brakes such as are adapted to be carried from shock to shock and to be singly worked by hand; and it consists, primarily, in making the central vertical blade or sword a curved blade, and at the same time higher than the Other blades of the bed-frame, which adapts a given weight of brake to clean a given quantity and quality of hemp better and faster as compared with the old-style hand-brake having a Straight center blade.

The present invention consists, further, in an upper frame having curved blades with their principal concavity in front, and a straight handle at its front edge, in combination with a bed-frame having its curved blades correspondingly arranged, whereby the operator is enabled to grasp the handle with equal facility at any point in braking long and short hemp.

A sheet of drawings accompanies this specification as part thereof.

Figure l of the drawings represents a top view, and Fig. 2 a front view, of a hempbrake illustrating this invention. Fig'. 3 represents a cross-section on the line 3 3, Fig. l,

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

The bed-frame, as it has been termed, of this improved brake is conveniently supported by a corner-post A and three legs B B2, attached tolong and short end pieces C O2, with said corner-post at the right-hand end in front. Between the extended upper end of said post A and a short post A2, erected 011 said end piece O, the upper frame of the rake is pivoted by trunnions a; on the extremities of an end piece D. At its left-hand end a short end piece D2 rests normally upon said end piece O2.

rPhe features above referred to arecustomn ary and preferred details which form no part of the present invention.

The opposing upper and lower swords or blades and handle to which this invention relates are constructed and arranged as follows: rlhe upper blades a ce are curved blades of the customary ogee shape, with their principal concavities in front and a wide central space between them. This space accommodates a curved center blade l) in the bedframe, which isof like ogee shape, and which is lixedly supported by said end pieces O C2, together with lower or less prominent back and front blades b2 h3. Of these the former is curved correspondingly with lthe center blade, and the front blade Z13 is straight, extending at right angles from the end piece O to the end piece O2. One or more tiepieces t, extending from front to back beneath the blades b b2 b3, and attached to their lower edges, may aid the curved center blade to resist the greater strain to which it is subjected. A straight handle 7L extends from near the front end of said end piece D to the middle of the short end piece D2 at the left-hand end of the brake, and is thus substantially parallel with said straight front blade h3.

The improved brake is used like other hand-brakes, except that the center blade l), being a curved blade and more prominent than the back and front blades b2 b3, and at the same time available for short and long hemp alike at its respective ends, increases the eiiciency of the brake, owing to the greater length of center blade so afforded in a brake of given dimensions; and the handle h, being located close to the straight front and parallel therewith, is easily reached by the operator from any position.

Details which have not been specified may be of any approved description; and I do not limit my respective claims to details of construction, except as therein expressly stated.

Having thus described said improved hemp-brake, I claim as my invention and desire to patent under this specification- 1. An improved portable hand-brake having a longitudinally-curved center blade, in

Connection with baal: and front blades of; less height, together with opposing' eurved blades alternating with said center blade, Substantially as hereinbefore speeied.

2. A pivoted upper frame having a straight handle near the front; of the brake and par allel therewith, together with longitudinallyeurved blades of ogee shape, having their principal eoneavities in front, in combination with a hed-frame having curved center and io back blades correspondingly arranged, Suh- Siantially as hereinliefore specified.

WILLIAM HICKS. Witnesses:

I l. G. SANDIFER, W. G. lRoCTon. 

